![]() Females with young may form loose nursery herds. Females have a dominance hierarchy, as well, but engage in mutual grooming to establish relationships with each other. Two males will compete for a territory by having pushing contests, rearing and biting. In this case, the resident male will chase off all other males and try to mate with the female and keep her from leaving his area. Territorial males tolerate other males and often will seek out their company unless there is a female in estrus nearby. These free-ranging groups often wander into areas occupied by a resident male. Males without territories usually form bachelor herds. Many adult male Grevy's zebras live alone and occupy large territories. These groups have no apparent leader or dominance hierarchy and constantly change as more zebras enter or leave the herd. Meanwhile, male zebras also form loose bachelor herds-usually between two to six stallions. These female herds usually include fewer than ten mares, but much larger groups can be seen together around water sources in the dry season. These "herds" do not have hierarchies and are subject to change. These mare-foal units can combine together with other mares and foals. ![]() Mares and their latest foals make up the basis for Grevy social structure. Unlike all other species of zebras, Grevy's zebras do not form permanent herds or permanent social bonds between adults. Males have four more teeth than females: short, pointed canines used for fighting. All of their teeth are elongated and covered with thick enamel to allow them to chew tough, abrasive grass constantly. They use their upper and lower incisors to clip vegetation and high-crowned, ridged molars for grinding. Grevy's zebras' teeth are well adapted for grazing. Their large eyes are set far back on their heads, which provides a wide field of vision and the ability to spot movement at great distances. Grevy's zebras also have very keen eyesight. They have long, slender legs and hoofed feet that allow them to run quickly in an effort to avoid fast-moving predators. Grevy's zebras have many other adaptations that are common to all zebras. While their coat is black and white, their skin is dark brown or black. Grevy's zebra have about 80 stripes in all. The black and white stripes appear all over the zebra's body, even on their mane and ears. The temperatures of black and white stripes on two zebras and a zebra hide were measured, throughout separate sunny days in Kenya. The two major characteristics that set zebras apart from their two closest relatives are their very distinct black and white stripes and their untamable wild nature. They have the largest ears of any zebra species, and their long, narrow heads give them a mule-like appearance. Grevy's are the largest of all zebras, and they have long necks with prominent, erect manes. Most famously, zebras have black and white stripes.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |